Suspending swinging harness



(No Model.)

0. E. BERRY. suspending Swinging Harness. No. 234,520. Patented Nov. 16, 1880.

zijjgeq in? mgw EEE'EE; wpzd NTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. BERRY, OF CAMBRIDGE, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND JOHN W. REGAN, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SUSPENDING SWINGING HARNESS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 234,520, dated November 16, 1880.

Application filed October 11, 1880.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GHARLEs E. BERRY, of Cambridge, countyofMiddlesex, State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Suspending Swinging; Harness, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in harness-holders, chiefly designed for use in connection with fire-engine harness.

My improved harness-holder is composed, essentially, of a jointed fork provided with suitable hooks, it being properly suspended to support and hold the harness above the horse to receive it until the joint of the fork is unlocked by the driver or other person to let the harness and collar drop upon the horse.

Figure l is a side elevation,illustrating a harness and collar supported by the jointed fork or harness-holder; Fig. 2, a top view of the fork; Fig. 3, an end view of it, showing the ropes by which it is hung and raised or lowered; and Fig. 4 represents in detail the joint of the fork, both opened and closed, and

its lockin g device.

The fork or harness-holder is composed of an arm, 6, having a hook, c, to support the collar, and of a double-pronged arm, 0 having 0 two hooks, c and c, to support the rear part of the harness, the arm 0 being jointed with the arm 6 by the pin c The arm 6 has a locking device for the fork, consisting of an extension, c, from arm 0, it

3 5 being provided with a finger, 6 having a hook, 00, extended down through an opening in the arm 6 when the said hook is caught and held by the platef, attached to the arm f.

This fork, with the harness placed upon it,-

0 as in Fig. 1, will be suspended by a cord and weight, g g, the cord being extended over suitable pulleys by which to raise and lower the fork as may be desired.

(No model.)

On an alarm of fire being given the horse comes quickly into his place below the harness, the open collar is drawn down around his neck near his head, thrown together quickly by a single movement, and clasped unerringly,

a tongue on one part of the harness entering a recess in the other part of the hame. this the driver, by pulling the driving-reinf in the direction of the arrow near it in Fig. 1, withdraws the platef from between the hook on the finger c and the under side of the arm 6 thus releasing the locking device and per- 5 mittin g the fork to turn upon its pivot c from the position at top of Fig. 4 into the position designated at the lower part of Fig. 4., such movement permitting the harness and collar to be completely disengaged from the fork, ready for the horse to start as soon as commanded by the driver, which is done as soon as he pulls the line far enough to ascertain that the bit is in the mouth of the horse. The platef will be disengaged just before the reins are drawn taut.

The collar herein shown forms the subjectmatter of another application for United States Patent filed by me August 16, 1880, to which reference may be had. 7

I claim-- The jointed harness and collar supporting fork adapted to be suspended and to hold the collar and harness, as described, combined with a locking device and removable plate,f, to maintain the fork extended or to permit it to be turned on its joint c and discharge the harness and collar when the rein is pulled, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

OHARLES E. BERRY.

Witnesses L. F. CONNOR, B. J. N oYEs.

After 50 

